Article assembling apparatus



Jan. 29, 1946 J, s s u 2,393,719

ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed June 10, 1944 4 Sheets-Shee t 1 MA -7KM Jan. 29, 1946. J, s-ruL 2,393,719

ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed June 10, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2//VV[/V7'0/? J. 5.57041. WJ/ A m mm. 8 mm R 90 N mm m Q Q.

Y 4 4 4 4 l w 2 100000 7 mm: m .QQ NM, NW a 9.. S r \h Jan. 29, 1946. J.s. STULL ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed June 10., 1944 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 29, 194 6. J. s. STULL ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS4 sheds-sheet 4 Filed June' 10, 1944' man/7m V Miro/mm Patented Jan. 29,1946 ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS "John S.'- StulL- Chicago, Ill.,as'signor to Western @Ele'ctric Company, Incorporated, f N'ew Yo'i-k,N.- Y.;. a corporation of New York *Appli'cationi June 10, 1944;;SerialNo. 539,716

1-?9110laims. (Cl. 219-4) f'iThls invention relates to, article,assembling .apparatus and more particularlytto. an apparatus forvassembling. a wire .mesh .on. a. cathode. cylinder.

Itis'jan'ObJect'ofJthe present invention to pro- "ivide aslmpleapparatusforrapidly and accurately assembling two parts of an article.

"Inaccordancewithione embodiment of the in- ""vention; acy-lindricalspool-like. cathode member hasasheetoiwire mesh screenspot-vweldedto itat a plurality of points about "its l periphery, the points ofattachment of the .wire mesh'to the cathode being aligned'longitudinallyof the oath-- ode'member. In theapparatus; there is provided means "forrotatably and reciprocably supporting rthe-cathode cylinder for'movementunder a'weld- *ingelectrode whichcontacts the wire mesh sheet *through a-"slot ina spring-pressed sheet-tormingelem'ent. *Reciprocation' may beimparted to the'cathode cylinder by reciprocating ah'olding flxture to-a -'plura1ityof'- positions, where it will he held proper positionvby'a spring pressed -=detent arid rotation may be imparted to thecylinder by rotating a chuck portion whichserves to support the cylinderin position beneath the :electrode and tormthe'ecreen to conform to themylinder.

kcompletelunderstanding of theinvention may be' had by reference to thefollowing detailed derscription l'of one embodiment thereoi when con-.':side!'8d-Z'!n conjunction with the accompanying Qdrawinga wherein1.-ls'aisideelevational'view of a welding apparaws 1 madezin accordancewith the preferred fonn'of the invention;

is a fragmentary=front elevational view, 011.38. :islightly enlargedscale, of the: mechanism which supports the "cathode cylinder 'duringthe wielding of thermesh screen thereto;

.-:3;-is 1a vertical sectional. view, on-- an en- 808.16,;t8k8l1substantially alongthe iline 4-4 oi Fig.2 1 in .theadirection. of.rtheaarrorws and .,'sl1owing .details liof the :spring-pr'essed :t chuckwhich; supportsthe cathode :cylinder during? the welding otthe meshscreen thereto;

i 'Fig..4.is a plansection. taken substantially along zjthegline of,Big. 1 .-in-. the direction ;'of the arrows and on the same-scale-asFig.3;

";Fig.i5 is .a transverse vertical sectional View t'akensubstantially.along the line 5-.5 of 4 in the 'f'dire'ctionof :thearrows showingdetails of thevmechanism ,for" forming ,the .wire mesh and "holding iton the cathodecyliuder;

/ Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view walso alongthe'line 5-'-5,"but: on a much..m0re enlarged-scale; showing the welding electrodeengaginglthe screenintheposition towelditto the cathode-cylinder; v

.FigT'Iis an enlargeddetail view partlyin section, of a cathodeeylinderhaving a wiremesh screen at'ta'chedthereto and FigILB 'is asectional view',takenfsubstantially "along"theline8-8 of Fig.7 in thedirectionof the arrows, the lasttwof'views illustratingthe article. on ascale approxlmatelyffour to one.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like' reference characters "designatethe same parts throughout the several views. Fig. 1 shows some ofthedetails ofa welding apparatus of usual design modified inaccordancewith the present invention. The welding apparatuscomprises a *base '10,from Whichthereext'endsJa suitable standard ll having'lowerandiuppercross arms 12 and Yl3,"respectiv'ely, insulatedly mountedthereon. The l'ower'jcross arm 12 maybe connected teeny suitable sourceor welding "current =through a lead l4" and the upper arm maybeconnected to the other side of the welding. source through a lead l5.The lower cross arm. and the upper cross arm I3are' both'fixedinposition on the standard II and'havejsuperposedover 'themaheadmember 16. The head member 16 =-'s1idably supportsareclprocatorymember l1, "whi'chmay be reciprocated'bvmeans of theleverend of the'electrode'iii has a reduced weldin portion 24' formedthereon; asshown' in Fig; 1, for

l8-to carry ariupper welding head I9'insulated1y mounted thereuponin avertical path. The weldvinghead; 19' is"interconne'cted with" the crossarm l3by'a flexible connection 20, as'is usual insuch mechanisms,andhas' electrically connected theretogby means ofa'machine screw 2|, aclamp-assembly fl -and welding-electrode 23. The lower '-"engagementwith a sheet of wire mesh or screen 25, as shown most clearlyiriFigi 6.

"Attached to'the lower cross arm 12 is a block 1300f" conductingmaterial," which has a suitable T-apertui'e' 3| (Fig.2) formed thereinfor surround- .ing :the: cross arm 1'2. Communicating with the"-aperture 3H5 as1otfi32; which forms the leftside (Fig. 2) of the block30 into two separate parts,

' through one $01 which a pair or clamping screws -83:.extend;= and intotheother of which the clamping screws ll 3-arei threaded, thereby tohold the block 3ll in position'on-the cross'azrml2. "Mounted :on theupper surface-of the block 30" are two pairs of ways 3,4, 35, :36and 31,"which slidably [support a cruciform support J block, designated=..generally by *thenumerfli "138, and comprising arms .39,-40;Mandi-42. The-arm"39 actendsunder an edge of the ways 36 and 31 and thearm 40 extends under the edge of the ways 34 and 35, whereby the block38 may be slid across the block 30.

Freely slidable in an aperture 43 (Fig. 4) in the way 35 is a plunger44, which is urged towards the arm 40 by a bent leaf spring 45. Theplunger 44 is provided with a point 46, adapted to engage in cooperatingnotches 4! in the arm 48, tending to hold the arm 40 in any one of fiveadjusted positions, there being five of the notches 4! formed in the arm48.

Reciprocation may be imparted to the support block 38 by means of aknurled handle 49, which has formed integrally with it an annularshoulder portion 50, in which a series of six notches are formed. Theknurled handle 49 is fixed on the end of a plunger rod 52 by means of apin 53 (Fig. 3) and the shoulder 50 is normally urged into engagementwith a surface 54 of an upwardly extending portion 55 of the arm 40. Theplunger rod 52 is slidably journalled in an aperture 56 in the portion55 and is normally urged to the left (Fig. 3) by a compression spring 51interposed between a surface of the portion 55 and an annular shoulder58 formed on the rod 52. The shoulder 58 is slidable between the portion55 and a cap plate 59 fixed on the upper surface of the portion 55.

Extending outwardly to the left (Fig. 3) from the shoulder 58 is a chuckmember 68, which has a slot 61 formed in it to receive an extension 62on a cathode cylinder 63. The cathode cylinder 63, as shown most clearlyin Figs. 7 and 8, is provided with head portions 64 and 65 and a barrelportion 66. In the present apparatus, the barrel portion 66 of thecathode member 63 is adapted to have the screen or wire mesh 25 spotwelded to it at the points indicated by the arrows 61 (Figs. 7 and 8).In addition to the slot 6| for receiving the projection 62 on thecathode 63, the rod 52 carries a pin 68 adapted to enter the centralaperture 69 in the cathode 63'. This pin 68 extends beyond the chuckmember 60 a sufficient distance to pass completely through the cathode63 and enter an aperture formed in a plate II. The plate II may be fixedin any one of the plurality of adjusted positions with respect to anupwardly extending portion 72 of the arm 39 by a set screw 13 threadedinto a cover plate 14, suitably attached to the upwardly extendingportion 12 of the arm 39. In this manner, the position of the cathode 63may be very accurately regulated with respect to the reduced weldingportion 24 of the welding electrode 23. The rotative position of thecathode 63, carried by the chuck 60 against the end of the plate II. maybe varied by rotating the knurled handle 49 and the rotative position ofthe cathode will be determined by a spring-pressed plunger 80 positionedin alignment with the shoulder 58 and adapted to enter the notches 5|.This plunger is urged upwardly (Fig. 3) by a compression spring 8|seated in a pocket 82 in the plunger and bearing against the uppersurface of the block 30.

The arm 4| of the support block 38, as shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and5, has an upwardly extending portion 85 formed thereupon, which isslotted, as shown at 86, to provide a pair of bearing members 87 and 88(Fig. 4), in which there is rotatably mounted a shaft 89. The centralportion of the shaft 89 is cut away to form a cam 98, against which alever 9| is urged by a compression spring 92 and the shaft is providedwith an actuating handle 84, whereby the shaft may be rocked. The lever9| is pivoted on a rod 93 and is provided with an aperture 94, throughwhich there extends a post 95 having a head 96. The spring 92 encirclesthe post 95 and is interposed between a washer 9'! bearing against theupper surface of the lever 9| and the head 96. The post 95 is suitablymounted on a bracket 98, which is, in turn, fixed to the base of theslot 86 and which carries an upwardly extending arm 89 in the path ofthe lever 9| so that when the cam 9|] is moved to a position such thatthe lever 9| is permitted to move downwardly under the action of thespring 92, a substantially semi-circular'notch I 00 formed in the rightend (Fig. 5) of the lever 9| will engage a screen 25 and clamp itagainst the barrel 66 of the cathode 63 held by the chuck 69. The rightend (Fig. 5) of the lever 9| has a slot IOI formed in it, through whichthe reduced welding portion 24 0f the welding electrode 23 may pass tocontact the screen 25 and weld the screen to the barrel of the cathode.

To facilitate the positioning of the screen 25 with respect to thebarrel of the cathode, a depressible support plate H0 is provided. Thissupport plate is pivotally mounted upon a pin I I I fixed in an upwardlyextending portion H2 0! the arm 42, which is slotted at I I3 to receivethe support plate II 0. The base of the slot H3 is so formed that thesupport plate H0 is prevented from rocking clockwise beyond the positionshown in Fig. 5 due to the engagement of the right end of the plate witha surface H4 of the slot. The support plate I I0 is normally urgedupwardly by a plunger H5, the upper rounded end of which engages theundersurface of the plate H0. Seated in a recess H6 in the extendingportion H2 of the arm 42 is a compression spring Ill, which extends intoa socket H8 in the plunger H5 for normally urging the plunger upwardlyin the recess H6, thus to tend to hold the plate H0 in the positionshown in Fig. 5.

The plate I I0, as shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, has a guideridge I I9 formed on it, against which a section of screen 25 may beplaced by an operator for guiding the screen to a positioning recess I20at the free end of the support plate II 0. This recess I20 is so formedthat when a suitably proportioned section of screen 25 is nested in itwith the right edge thereof bearing against the right edge of the recess(Fig. 5), the left end of the screen will extend slightly beyond theaxis of the cathode 63' held in the chuck 60, in which position thescreen may be welded to the barrel 66 of the cathode.

As will be described more clearly in connection with the description ofthe operation of the apparatus, the support plate IIII may be rockeddownwardly during the rotation of the apparatus, but whenever theplunger rod 52 is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the support plate HI)will be held in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 by an extending edgeI2I of a leaf spring I22, which is normally biased to the right (Fig. 3)to lie flat against the left surface of the upwardly extending portion55 of the arm 40, where the extending edge I 2| of the spring I22 \m'llbe out of the path of the support plate I III. The spring I22 is fixedto the portion 55 of the arm 48 by means of machine screws I23.

In the operation of the apparatus, a cathode 63 may be positioned on thepin 68 by movin;

' therzplnnger rod .52 tolthevright from the-position shewn in Fig. 3.The operator, in order to -move the plun er rod 52 "tothe-right. thustodisenga e thepin fifl' from the aperture "10 in"the;plate"|'|, -maygripthe "knurled handle '49 and pull the theJhandle 84, "thus to rotatethe shaft "89 and cause the :cam 90 tolift the lever 9l| against theaction of spring92. When the plunger rod 52 is "retracted, the extendinged e |2| of spring [22 will be removed from beneath *the support plate Hand the support plate may be depressed against'the action ofspring-pressed plun er "toperrnitthe'loading of a cathode $3 in theapparatus. When the cathode is properly located on'the pin 68 with'itsproiection .62 extending into the slot SI of the chuck member '60. the

handle '49 maybe releasedand the pin 63 will then enter 'theaperture"!!!to securelylock the cathode on the pin '68 and 'to the chuck '50. Whenthe .cathodeis so positioned,,a relatively large surface area thereofwill be in enga ement with supporting surfaces to provide a goodelectrical connection between .the cathode cylinder 63 and the'lead M.

When the .handle 49 approaches its operative position, as shown in Fig.3, the shoulder 58 thereon will enga e the spring I22 to move it underthe support plate III), which will have been released by the operator assoon as the cathode 63 has been mounted on the pin 68. Thus the supportplate ||0 will be held in its upper position (Fig. 5) while a section ofscreen 25 is moved into the recess I20. After the section of screen isproperly positioned in the recess 25. the handle 84 may be manipulatedto release lever 9| and permit its right end to enga e the screen 25.The apparatus in this condition is holding the cathode and screen sothat. the first row of spot welds may be made between the screen and thebarrel 66 of the cathode at the points designated by the arrows 61.

The spring 51. which urges the plunger rod 52 to the left (Fig. 3), isappreciably stron er than the leaf spring 45, which urges the point 46of the plunger 44 into the notches 4'! on the I arm 40 and thus thesupport block 38 may be reeiprocated by means of the handle 49 to thevarious positions where the point 46 of the plunger 44 will engage thenotches 41 without compressing the spring 51. In this manner, the entiresupport block 38 may be shifted from right to left. as viewed in Fig. 4,and each time the plunger 44 engages in one of the notches 41, the lever|8 may be operated to contact the welding electrodes 23 with the screen,thus to spot weld the screen 25 to the barrel B6 of the cathode 53. Assoon as one axially extending row of welds has been made between thescreen and the barrel of the cathode, the knurled handle 49 may berotated to cam the plunger 80 out of the notch 5|, in which it had beenresting, and to permit it to enter into the next succeeding notch 5|.After the plunger 80 enters a new notch 5|, a row of spot welds may bemade between the screen and barrel, as described hereinbefore. Thisoperation may be repeated six times to completely attach the screen 25to the barrel 66 of the cathode. During the spot welding of the screento the cathode, the screen will be held in intimate contact with thebarrel of the means, means for slidably supporting sa-id'bloclc, -awelding electrode connected tothe welding chcathode ihythecooperatingssurfaces :on the Jor- -wardzend-of thelever 9|.

"What is claimedis:

:IJIn :an apparatus for1welding a screen ito a cylindrical cathodemember, a welding circuit, means conductively connected to thewelding'circuit for supporting the. cathode member for rotation,=means-for slidably supporting said cathode member supporting "means, awelding -elec -trode connected to the welding circuit, meansforrreciprocating the welding electrode relative to-the supportingmeans, and means for supporting a screen in superposed relation to thecathode-member for welding thereto upon reciprocation of theweldingelectrode.

25in an apparatus for welding a screento a cylindrical cathode member, awelding circuit.

means conductively connected to the welding circuit for supporting thecathode member for rotation, a support block for said supporting cuit,means for reciprocating the "Welding electrode relative to thesupporting means, and means for supporting a screen insuperposed'relation to the'cathode member for-weldingthere- 'to'uponreciprocationof the welding electrode.

'-3.'In an apparatus for welding a screen to a cylindrical cathodemember, a welding circuit,

means conductively connected to the "welding circuit for supporting thecathode member for rotation, a support block for said supporting means,means for slidably supporting said block, a welding electrode connectedto the welding circuit, means for reciprocating the welding electroderelative to the supporting means, a depressible support plate forpositioning a screen in position to be welded to the cathode, and meansfor resiliently moving said plate into alignment with the cathode.

4. In an apparatus for welding a screen to a cylindrical cathode member,a welding circuit, means conductively connected to the welding circuitfor supporting the cathode member for rotation, a support block for saidsupporting means,

means for slidably supporting said block, a welding electrode connectedto the welding circuit, means for reciprocating the welding electroderelative to the supporting means, means for supporting a screen insuperposed relation to the cathode member for Welding thereto uponreciprocation of the welding electrode, and means for holding the screenin contact with a portion of the surface of the cylindrical surface ofthe cathode.

5. In an apparatus for welding a screen to a cylindrical cathode member,a welding circuit,

means conductively connected to the welding circuit for supporting thecathode member for rotation, a support block for said supporting means,means for slidably supporting said block, a welding electrode connectedto the welding circuit, means for reciprocating the welding electroderelative to the supporting means, means for supporting a screen insuperposed relation to the cathode member for welding thereto uponreciprocation of the welding electrode, and means for holding the screenin contact with a portion of the surface of the cylindrical surface ofthe cathode including a support plate for guiding the screen to thecathode and a lever having a forming surface for bending a portion ofthe screen into contact with the electrode.

6. In an apparatus for welding a screen to a cylindrical cathode member,a welding circuit.

means conductively connected to the welding circuit for supporting thecathode member for rotation, a support block for said supporting means,means for slidably supporting said block, a welding electrode connectedto the welding circuit, means for reciprocating the welding electroderelative to the supporting means, means for supporting a screen insuperposed relation to the cathode member for welding thereto uponreciprocation of the welding electrode, and means operable under controlof the means for supporting the cathode for rotation to hold the screensupporting means in alignment with the cathode when the cathode is heldby its support.

7. In an apparatus for welding a screen to a cylindrical cathode member,a welding circuit, means conductively connected to the welding circuitfor supporting the cathode member for rotation, a support block for saidsupporting means, means for slidably supporting said block, a Weldingelectrode connected to the welding circuit, means for reciprocating thewelding electrode relative to the supporting means, means for supportinga screen in superposed relation to the cathode member for weldingthereto upon reciprocation of the welding electrode, and means movableinto the path of the means for supporting the screen by the cathodesupporting means to hold the screen supporting means in operativeposition.

8. In a welding apparatus, a reciprocatory welding electrode connectedto one side of a welding circuit, a slidably mounted block connected tothe other side of the welding circuit, means for conductively holding anarticle on said block, means for arresting movement of said block atpredetermined points of its movement to align selected portions of thearticle with the electrode, means for rotating the holding means topresent predetermined points on the article in alignment with saidelectrode, means for holding a second article in engagement with thefirst mentioned article, and means for reciprocating the reciprocatoryelectrode to weld the second article to the first article.

9. In an apparatus for welding a screen to the periphery of the barrelof a cathode, a welding electrode connected to one side of a source 01'welding current, means for reciprocating the electrode in a fixed path,and means for supporting parts to be welded together for movement inalignment with said electrode comprising a block conductively connectedto the other side of the source of welding current, a support meansslidably mounted on said block, means for clamping a cathode to saidsupport means, means for positioning the support means at a plurality ofpositions, and means for rotating the clamping means.

JOHN S. S'I'ULL.

